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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN R. HENSHAW, OF MIDDLETOWN, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO HIMSELF AND SAMUEL BABCOCK, OF SAME PLACE.

SKATE.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 27,187, dated February 14, 1860.

To all 'whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Jol-IN R. IIENsHAw, of Middletown, in the State of Connecticut, have invented a new and useful Improvement on Skates; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawing and to the letters and marks thereon.

My invention has two objects in viewfirst the so constructing of the skate-iron or runner that the means by which it can be attached to the wood-work or body of the skate, in a firm and durable manner, forms a continuous and corporate part of the iron, and, second, the so constructing and arranging of the means for securing the heel of the boot or shoe to the skate that a firm and safe attachment of the skate to the boot or shoe is made.

Of the drawing forming part of this specilication Figure l, is a longitudinal section of a skate showing my improvement, and Fig. 2, is a top view of the same.

In both of these figures like letters indicate like parts.

The skate-iron or runner (c) I construct of a steel rod or bar, forging out all the parts shown by the drawing, so that the vertical parts (b) and the bearings (c) are of one piece with the iron (a). By thus constructing the skate-iron I am enabled to have a broad surface for attaching it to the body or wood-work of the skate and I avoid the liability of the iron to work loose from the body which eXists in all cases where the two parts of the skate named are united to each other by means which are interposed between the body and iron or runner. As is shown by the drawing, I attach the bearing (c) to the body of the skateby screws (d), though rivets may be substituted for the screws if preferred. For holding the front part of the boot or shoe to the skate I use the pieces of leather (e, e), laced together as shown by the drawings, and secure the leather to the body of the skate by screws or any other convenient means.

The means for holding the heel of the boot or shoe to the skate are these z--An iron or other metal bar (f) is fitted into a recess in the body and there secured. This bar is made to extend beyond the rear end of the body and is then turned up thus forming a vertical projection (g) in which is a female screw. In this female screw is fitted a male thumb-screw (it), the thumb piece of which (i) may be as shown, or may be a disk, or of circular form either with or without a milled edge. Upon the inner end of the screw (la.) is a toothed nut or clamp (j) which is sufficiently loose upon the screw to be rotated upon it, but is sufliciently firmly held when not in contact with the heel of the boot to be moved longitudinally with the screw. A plate Us) lies over the bar having a slot through which pass binding or adjust-able screws (Z, Z), to the holes in the bar. The rear part of this plate is elevated and expanded and furnished with teeth (a). This plate (lo) by its screws and slot and by the holes (o, 0) in the bar can be readily adjusted so as to adapt the skate to feet of different lengths and to heels of diiferent sizes.

From what has been stated, and is shown by the drawings, of the construction of the different parts of my improvement it will be clearly seen how they are operated and what advantages are derived from them.

Having thus set out my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is- The plate (7c) made so as to be adjusted on the bar (f) or its equivalent, and the thumb screws (h) as means for securing the heel of the boot or shoe to the skate as herein set forth.

JOHN R. HENSI-IAW.

Witnesses:

SAMUEL L. WARNER, SAMUEL STEARNS, Jr. 

